Spy cop Inquiry Starts today

[Imnobody4]

I'm not sure I have the stomach for this at the moment but definately important.

twitter.com/helensteel12/status/1323174497424449536?s=19
#SpycopsInquiry
The Undercover Policing Public Inquiry finally starts today, after 5 years of delay & attempts by the police to cover up the human rights abuses committed by these secret political policing units. Don't let them hide the #SpycopsInquiry news - please share
t.co/eVMiovjyr1

Thanks for posting, it's a really significant case.

Just heard on the news that the wives of the police officers are giving testimony. Good. Reminds me a bit of trans widows, collateral damage.

The defence (not sure if that's the right word - the police's side, anyway) tried to claim today that the relationships were "consensual", which speaks to their very shaky grasp of consent. If one party deliberately manipulates, lies and misrepresents themselves as part of their work, backed up by the full force of the state, and the other side believes they are in a genuine relationship, meaningful consent isn't possible.

The police side also made some very dodgy claims about needing anonymity in case of reprisals against them - fucking cheek, they are the rapists and the abusers here, not the victims.

One aspect which I hadn't thought about before is the other families of these undercover police - the women, and their kids, who had waved their husbands off to work, not knowing that they'd be cheated on and lied to, as well. Not the same issue, as presumably they knew their husbands were coppers, but still pretty grim.

Anyway, hats off (as ever) to Helen Steel, who has been pursuing this tirelessly for years. Helen, you are a fucking star. If we ever meet, coffee/pint/whatever is on me.

This is the web site of the group that has been campaigning on this for a number of years policespiesoutoflives.org.uk/

I had no idea about this, so thanks for posting. It’s incredibly important that they are accountable.

Must have been devastating for the relationships/families on both sides of the lies.

I know this company don't always cover themselves in glory in these boards but I absolutely loved that Lush tried to raise the profile of this issue, which they certainly did at the time.
uk.lush.com/article/spycops-scandal-why-police-spying-campaigning-citizens-should-be-exposed

Helen Steel is such a bloody diamond, wish I could stop fangirling her when I see her (at WPUK meetings) but had no success yet. Helen Steel rocks!

@Imnobody4 do have anymore info on the wives and ex partners being asked for info?

Don’t worry have found the info.

Wishing the women involved in this the very best. This is so important.

I think Lush fucked up in the way they opened the campaign

It wasnt very clear and got a lot of people angry

But I completely agree that it was a dreadful situation, rightly being taken to court, and that Lush definitely had their hearts in the right place trying to bring it to the public’s attention

Were any of the police officers who did this women? No, thought not.

Excellent video that has been broadcast onto New Scotland Yard, royal Courts of Justice and the Garrick Club among other venues this week

And heart=breaking daily reports from the Inquiry campaignopposingpolicesurveillance.com/2020/11/06/ucpi-daily-report-5-nov-2020/

@IwishNothingButTheBestForYou2

Were any of the police officers who did this women? No, thought not.

At least one female officer "Lynn Watson" is accused of having sex with men she was spying on, though not long term relationships afair.

Blimey! I stand corrected. Thank you StellaGib.

Yes, from what is known the long-term relationships and definitely having children is something that male officers did to women.

Christ that second website shows how systematic it has been. Absolutely chilling to read.

Yes, so, so many people affected and many more who don't know that they were spied on as the Met won't release all the cover names.

It's really chilling.

(This isn't a derail but "sex by deception" has been the topic of a number of threads. Maybe someone needs to look at making this a very specific crime.)

But came on this thread to say there is a new article about this case and the background to it by one of the women concerned

Long Road to Justice : Challenging the institutionalised sexism of undercover police who deceived women in intimate relationships
www.centreforwomensjustice.org.uk/new-blog-1/2020/11/6/long-road-to-justice

That is a great article stumbledin, I just found it on Twatter. Such an important subject yet very quiet about it in the mainstream media as far as I can see. Feel like running around the streets crashing two dustbin lids together to draw attention to the inquiry. Shit at running mind, lol.

Brilliant work by the Centre for Women's Justice too. More power to their awesome elbows.

By one of the women standing up against this state sanctioned abuse (article in above post)

We want it to be a crime for an undercover officer to have an intimate relationship with a member of the public. We want the inquiry to make a finding of institutional sexism in the police. And we want our files

Unfortunate that it's running while two massive issues (US election + coronavirus) are dominating the news.

Hoping for some answers and justice for the women affected

And yes to Helen Steel being a fantastic woman. An actual icon of mine since I was a young teenager and heard about the McLibel trial.

Exactly, sex by deception. How can they argue the relationship was consensual!

I have seen some articles in the news, but looking at how the police infiltrated anti apartheid campaigns and also the Stephen Lawrence defence group.

I dont think it is exclusively about the women deceived into relationships.

@Butterer what does this mean? - "There are several activists (not the women deceived into relationships, or the wives) heavily involved in the inquiry who pop up in the news and on TV as media spokespeople /infiltrated activists giving their story - they trigger my ptsd really badly, which is why I normally steer clear."